The Biophysical Relationship Excursion
by ynotlleb
Summary: A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Sheldon and Bernadette do some travelling. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.
1. December

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". The story continues three and a half years after the birth of Marie Hofstadter. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.**

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Just before the Xmas holidays Professor Bernadette Rostenkowski-Cooper's research group had a farewell party for Ellen Rashid, a Cambridge Ph.D student in microbiology who had just finished a year studying at Caltech. Microbiology experimental officer Dr. Jane Parker was also at the party as was Bernadette's husband Sheldon. Just before the party started to break up they were joined by Professor Tom Kariuki, Assistant Dean of Biological Sciences at Caltech.

Bernadette: "Hello Tom, what a pleasant surprise, come and have some cake."

Kariuki: "Thank you Bernadette, I think that I will. I have come to say goodbye to Miss Rashid."

Bernadette: "Sure thing. Ellen, you have a visitor."

Ellen: "Good afternoon, I am Ellen Rashid."

Kariuki. "Good afternoon to you Miss Rashid. My name is Professor Tom Kariuki, I am not sure if you remember, we met very briefly just after you arrived here in January."

Ellen: "Yes I remember you Professor."

Kariuki: "Professor Rostenkowski-Cooper has been telling me good things about your work here at Caltech over the last year. I am sure the whole research group will be sad do see you go."

Ellen: "That is nice to hear. I have had a good time here at Caltech, back home to good old Cambridge tomorrow."

Kariuki: "Good old Cambridge indeed, I wish I could come with you. I was once young like you and studying for a Ph.D at Cambridge. Happy days."

Ellen: "Which college?"

Kariuki: "Wolfson."

Ellen: "I am at Churchill."

Kariuki: "I understand that you should be submitting your thesis in the summer."

Ellen: "I hope so."

Kariuki: "Good luck with your writing up and safe journey home. Please excuse me, I need to have a word with Professor Rostenkowski-Cooper."

Ellen: "Thank you Professor."

Kariuki: "Bernadette, may I have a word with you in private. You too Professor Cooper, it concerns you both..."


	2. January

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 2, The Rostenkowski-Coopers have news for their friends on New Years Day. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.**

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The rest of the social group had been travelling over the Xmas holidays, Sheldon and Bernadette didn't get to see their friends until New Years Day. This chapter starts as Sheldon opens the door of their house.

Sheldon: "Well it's Professor Hofstadter and his family, Happy New Year to you."

Leonard shook Sheldon's hand and said "Happy New Year to you Professor Cooper."

Penny gave him a hug and said "Happy New Year Moonpie. What do you say to Uncle Sheldon Marie?"

Leonard and Penny's daughter said "Kitty Cats!"

Sheldon: "Yes Marie, you can play with the cats. Josh and Debbie are already playing with them."

Bernadette: "Happy New Year Hofstadters, welcome to our humble home. What would you like to drink? Make yourself comfortable."

Five minutes later.

Sheldon: "Now that everyone is here we have some news."

Amy: "Are you pregnant Bernie?"

Bernadette: "No Amy, just cats in this house, no children. Over the last year at Caltech we had a visiting Ph.D student from Cambridge University in England, she went back to England just before Xmas. My old boss Professor Kariuki was a Cambridge student and he has arranged this collaboration. Just before Xmas he told me that Cambridge would like to invite me over for a visit for six months starting in April."

Raj: "Wow, that's great news, I wish someone would arrange something like that for me. I would love to go back to Cambridge."

Howard: "So what happens to you Sheldon, will you go with her?"

Sheldon: "I hope so, Bernadette's trip hasn't been confirmed yet but I have emailed some of my friends in Cambridge Physics telling them of Bernadette's proposed visit. Hopefully they can have me as a guest at the same time. It's a shame that Professor Hawking isn't with us any more, it would have been great to have collaborated with him again."

Bernadette: "We will know more when we go back to work tomorrow. We had a good time at the conference there a few years ago."

Howard: "We had a wonderful time there on our honeymoon."

Amy: "Yes we did, you get to spend six months there, lucky you."

Suddenly Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein came running through the room followed by Josh and Debbie Wolowitz and Marie Hofstadter. Marie was shouting "Kitty Cats!" at the top of her voice.

Sheldon: "Looks like the children and cats are having fun."


	3. February

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 3, the Cambridge trip is confirmed. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.**

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The first Monday in February Bernadette's research group had their weekly meeting. All 5 of Bernadette's Ph.D students, postdoc Dr. Andrea Gonzalez and experimental officer Dr. Jane Parker were there.

Bernadette: "Hello everyone, thanks for coming. OK, I will start with the big news. The rumours that you have been hearing are true. Sheldon and I will be away from Caltech for six months from April, we are off to Cambridge University for a visit. My visit is a follow on to the collaboration we had last year with Ellen Rashid. Sheldon has lots of friends in the Physics department in Cambridge from his collaboration with Stephen Hawking. Everything was finally confirmed this morning."

Andrea: "So who will run the group in your absence Bernadette?"

Bernadette: "That's why Jane is here, she will help you with the day to day organising of things but you will run the group in my absence Andrea. I will keep in touch the best I can by Skype and email from Cambridge, we are 8 hours behind in California so you might hear from me early in the morning. I will definitely have to Skype when we interview for new Ph.D students to start in October, I would like Andrea and Jane to do as much as possible at this end to arrange the interviews. We will have a lot to do over the next 2 months, any big equipment orders should be sorted out by the end of this month. Sanjay and Francesca have both got their Ph.D thesis defences later this month so we all need to help them get ready. Luther, Sally and Jennifer should pay attention to all this as they will hopefully be doing this next year. All my teaching should be finished by the middle of March."

Jane: "Don't worry Andrea, I will give you a hand. This is all practice for when you get your own Ph.D students in a few years time."

Bernadette: "OK, next item on the agenda. Francesca and Sanjay, is everything ready for your thesis defences? Do either of you want to have another practice examination before the big day..."

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The next Saturday the whole social group were at Sheldon and Bernadette's house. Josh and Debbie and Marie were playing with the cats whilst their parents, aunts and uncles were discussing the Cambridge trip.

Leonard: "So everything is confirmed then, you will be away for six months."

Sheldon: "That's right. We leave on March 31st and return on October 1st, direct flights between LAX and London Heathrow. Someone from the University will meet us at the airport."

Penny: "So what will happen with your house?"

Bernadette: "Caltech will rent it out for visiting scholars in our absence."

Suddenly they could hear Marie shouting out "Kitty Cats!"

Leonard: "So what about Einstein and Hawking. We could look after them for you. Marie has been asking for her own kitty cat, she really loves your cats."

Sheldon: "That's very kind of you Leonard, is this OK with you Penny?"

Penny: "Sure thing Moonpie, I think we can handle 2 cats. Just don't get 25 cats before you leave..."


	4. March

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 4, the day before departure. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.**

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The day before Sheldon and Bernadette departed for Cambridge Leonard and Penny hosted a farewell party. The whole social group was there as was Stuart and his wife Denise. All of Bernadette's research group was there as was Tom Kariuki and Jane Parker.

Leonard: "So is everything ready for tomorrow, is your house ready to be rented out?"

Sheldon: "Yes, everything is packed. The house is ready for guests, Caltech tell me that two visiting scientists from Australia will be living there for 4 months starting from the middle of April."

Leonard: "Do they have my name as a contact in case they have problems with how things work in your house."

Sheldon: "Yes they do, we are very grateful for all that you, Penny and Marie have done for us. How are the cats?"

Leonard: "Marie is having a wonderful time with them, I think we will have to get her a kitten when you come back."

Stuart: "Excuse me Leonard, may I have a word with Sheldon."

Sheldon: "Hello Stuart, how can I help?"

Stuart: "Cambridge has a Comic Book store called 'Tardis', it has lots of 'Doctor Who' merchandise that is difficult to get in the USA. Could you check it out for me and see if the merchandise is any good. If so I might try and import from them."

Sheldon: "I should be able to do that, good to know I will have a Comic Book store over there."

Stuart: "Thanks Sheldon, have a good trip."

In the mean time Tom Kariuki and Raj were sharing stories of their Cambridge days.

Raj: "Bernadette, you have been to Cambridge haven't you?"

Bernadette: "Yes, I went there 4 years ago when Sheldon attended a Physics conference, we had a great time there. We are both looking forward to returning. Thanks for making this possible Tom."

Kariuki: "You are welcome Bernadette. Where will you be staying?"

Bernadette: "They have arranged a visitors apartment for us at Wolfson College."

Kariuki: "My old college!"

Bernadette: "How long will my commute be to the Biochemistry department, it's going to be strange driving to work on the left hand side of the road."

Kariuki: "You won't need to drive! Wolfson to Biochemistry is 20 minutes by foot and 10 minutes by bicycle. I presume Sheldon will be at the Cavendish Laboratory with the Physicists.

Raj: "Thats where I studied"

Sheldon: "Yes, that's right."

Kariuki: "You will have a similar commute to Bernadette. Don't even try driving in Cambridge unless you have to, it was not designed for the motor car."

Then Leonard tapped his glass, he was about to make a speech.

Leonard: "My friends thank for all coming tonight to wish Professors Rostenkowski-Cooper and Cooper _bon voyage_ , if you would like to raise your glasses as we make a toast to Bernadette and Sheldon."

Bernadette: "Thank you my friends, we are looking forward to the trip but we will miss you all whilst we are away. I would like to thank Jane and Andrea who will run my research group in my absence. Finally many congratulations to my former students Dr. Sanjay Chandrasekhar and Dr. Francesca O'Reilly on successfully defending their Ph.D theses. Good luck to them when they start their new jobs at Zangen next week."

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At the end of the party everyone else had left. Sheldon and Bernadette were saying their final goodbyes to Leonard and Penny. After a group hug Bernadette said "Thanks again for everything, see you all in 6 months."

Sheldon: "Where are the cats?"

Penny: "I think they are with Marie, come and look."

Penny carefully opened the door to her daughters bedroom where Marie was fast asleep with 2 cats on the bed with her.


	5. April

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 5, Arrival in England. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.**

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The plane had just touched down at Heathrow Airport and the Captain made the following announcement.

"Welcome to London where the local time is 0830. The temperature is 10 degrees and it is raining, sorry about that. Thank you for flying British Airways."

1 hour later Sheldon and Bernadette had emerged through passport control and baggage reclaim into the arrivals hall. Then they saw a familiar face holding a sign with CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY - ROSTENKOWSKI-COOPER.

Bernadette: "Look Sheldon, it's Ellen."

Bernadette gave Ellen a hug and Sheldon shook hands with her.

Ellen: "Welcome to England."

Bernadette: "What a nice surprise to see you again."

Ellen: "Caltech had been so kind to me during my visit it was the least I could do to come and pick you up from the airport. How was your flight?"

Sheldon: "We didn't crash once."

Ellen led them out into the car park towards a light blue minibus with CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOCKEY CLUB on the side.

Ellen: "Let me help you with your luggage."

Ellen drove them out of the car park and onto the M25 motorway as they drove towards Cambridge. Ellen and Bernadette caught up with the news from Caltech, Ellen was happy to hear about Sanjay and Francesca's doctorates and new jobs. They also talked about their science and Ellen's Ph.D thesis write up. Sheldon let the ladies chat away as he looked out of the rain streaked windows at the green fields of England.

Two hours later Sheldon woke up just as Ellen was coming off the M11 motorway.

Bernadette: "Welcome to Cambridge sleepyhead."

A few minutes later the minibus turned into Wolfson College.

Ellen: "Welcome to Cambridge University, here is Wolfson College, your home for the next six months. The college porters will help you to your apartment and let you get settled in. I imagine that you will want to catch up on some sleep. We are expecting you in Biochemistry tomorrow morning Bernadette. I understand they are expecting you at The Cavendish tomorrow Professor Cooper. One last thing, you are both invited to Professor MacDonald's annual 'Boat Race' party on Saturday afternoon."

Sheldon: "What's a 'Boat Race'?"

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Saturday afternoon

MacDonald: "Hello, you two must be our guests from California. I am James MacDonald, Emeritus Professor of Biology. Welcome to my annual 'Boat Race' party."

Sheldon: "Hello Sir, I am Sheldon Cooper, Professor of Physics at Caltech."

Bernadette: "I am Sheldon's wife, Bernadette Rostenkowski-Cooper, Professor of Microbiology at Caltech. You may not remember but we met here in Cambridge four years ago when Sheldon was over here for a conference. We have a mutual acquaintance in your former student Tom Kariuki."

MacDonald: "Oh yes, young Tom came here from Kenya then he went to America. How is he doing these days."

Bernadette: "Professor Kariuki is doing very well."

MacDonald: "Back in my student days I used to row for my college and I would always go down to London on 'Boat Race' day to cheer for Cambridge. I kept doing this for many years but a few years ago the travelling and crowds were getting a bit much for me as I got older. So now I watch it on TV and invite my friends over to watch with me."

Sheldon: "Well thank you for the invitation Sir."

Two hours later Sheldon and Bernadette joined in the cheering as the ladies and men's rowing eights of Cambridge University defeated their opponents from Oxford University for a double Cambridge 'Boat Race' win!"


	6. May

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 6, Skyping to California from Cambridge. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.**

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Bernadette Skyped back to Caltech

Bernadette: "Hello Andrea, greetings from Cambridge."

Andrea: "Hello Bernadette, are you enjoying yourself."

Bernadette: "Cambridge is wonderful, it's nice to be able to do laboratory science again, I never realised how much administration I have to do at Caltech."

Andrea: "Tell me about it, I spent a very boring afternoon yesterday at the Biological Sciences faculty meeting, Tom Kariuki chaired the meeting. He was asking about you and Cambridge."

Bernadette: "All practice for you when you become a Professor."

Andrea: "The only interesting news is that we have funding for two new Ph.D students starting in October."

Bernadette: "That's good news, we will have to get an advert sorted out, talk to Jane about this then email me a draft."

Andrea: "So how is Cambridge?"

Bernadette: "Now that it has finally stopped raining Cambridge is beautiful. Every lunchtime I try and go with Sheldon for a walk along the river Cam."

Andrea: "So how is Professor Cooper finding things?"

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Sheldon Skyped back to Caltech

Leonard: "Hello Sheldon, that is good timing, I have just arrived in my office."

Sheldon: "I am nearly finished for the day here Leonard, although I have a whiteboard waiting for me back in the apartment."

Leonard: "So what have you been doing?"

Sheldon: "I have been discussing Superasymmetry with some of Professor Hawking's old colleagues. We will hopefully be submitting a paper next month."

Leonard: "I wonder what Hawking would have made of your work."

Sheldon: "Professor Hawking is missed by lots of people here."

Leonard: "So what else have you been doing?"

Sheldon: "I finally found that Comic Book store that Stuart mentioned. It is tucked away on a little back street in the city centre. It has some good stuff in it, I told Stuart to see if he can import some 'Doctor Who' merchandise."

Leonard: "Cambridge sounds like a fascinating place."

Sheldon: "How is everybody, how are the cats?"

Leonard: "Marie is having a great time playing with them."

Sheldon: "They think it is really funny that I have a cat called Stephen Hawking!"

Leonard: "So how is Bernadette finding things?"


	7. June

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 7, Thesis help. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.**

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Ellen Rashid knocked on the door of Bernadette's office

Bernadette: "Come in, Hello Ellen, how can I help you?"

Ellen: "Good afternoon, Bernadette. I need to some advice on my Ph.D thesis. My supervisor is very busy marking exams and the rest of the students are getting ready to celebrate 'May week'."

Bernadette: "May week, it's June."

Ellen: "It's an old Cambridge tradition, don't ask me why?"

Bernadette: "Are you not celebrating May week?"

Ellen: "I am far too busy, anyway that's one Cambridge tradition that doesn't appeal to me."

Bernadette: "So what is the thesis problem?"

Ellen: "It's one chapter which mostly concerns the work I did in Caltech. Once I get this chapter sorted out I reckon should be able to submit by the end of the summer."

Bernadette: "OK, let me see this chapter and I will have a look at it tonight."

Ellen: "Thank you Bernadette."

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Next day in the tea room.

Bernadette: "Hello Ellen, I had a look at your thesis chapter last night, it looks good. I showed it to Sheldon. He has some suggestions that might help."

Ellen: "Thank you, isn't your husband only a physicist?"

Bernadette: "Don't tell him that, he is an extremely good physicist, anyway we can't all be biological scientists. Sheldon was a great help with the writing of my Ph.D thesis shortly after I met him."

Ellen: "I stand corrected."

Bernadette: "No problem, anyway would you like to come over to our apartment at Wolfson tonight so we can discuss things? We normally order pizza this time of week, what toppings would you like?"

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That evening Sheldon opened the door of the apartment.

"Good evening Miss Rashid, come and have some pizza and we can talk about your thesis..."


	8. July

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 8, Caltech Skype session. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.**

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It was almost the end of the normal working day in Cambridge but Bernadette still had several hours to go before she was finished for the day. She had a Skype session scheduled to interview new Ph.D students for her research group at Caltech.

Sheldon had come over to see her before the Skype session started.

Sheldon: "So how long will this session take?"

Bernadette: "About 4 hours. We start in 15 minutes at 5.00pm, that's 9.00am California time. We have 5 students to interview for 2 Ph.D studentships and each interview should last about 40 minutes. I will have a 20 minute break at 7.00pm and then I will interview the last 2 students. Three of the students will be be there in Pasadena, one is Skyping from New Zealand and one from Sri Lanka. I hope that all the Skype connections work."

Sheldon: "OK, it's late opening tonight at the Comic Book store, I will go and have another look for Stuart. I will get some takeout from the Thai place that you like and meet you here for a bite to eat in your break at 7.00pm."

Bernadette: "That is very considerate of you."

Sheldon: "That's what husbands do when they have such a wonderful wife."

Bernadette: "Time to fire up the Skype. Do you want to stay for a few minutes, Amy is on the panel."

A couple of minutes later.

Bernadette: "Hello from Cambridge, is everything ready?"

Andrea: "Hello Bernadette, there is a nervous student waiting outside, we will be ready to go in 5 minutes."

Bernadette: "Before we start I have someone who wants to say hello."

Sheldon: "Hello Caltech, how are things at home?"

Amy: "Hi Sheldon, good to see you."

Jane: "Good morning, or is it good evening Sheldon."

Bernadette: "I am not sure if you remember my microbiology workmate Dr. James Delaney."

James: "Hello Professor Cooper, nice to see you again. I am the token man on the the panel :-)"

Sheldon: "Nice to see you all, OK I will let you get to work."

Bernadette: "Right, I am ready. Andrea if you want to call in the first student..."


	9. August

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 9, Hawking Lecture. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends.**

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The main auditorium at the Cavendish Laboratory was packed as Sheldon prepared to give the annual Stephen Hawking memorial lecture.

"It is a great privilege for me to be here today at the University of Cambridge today to give this lecture in memory of my old friend and colleague Professor Stephen Hawking. Professor Hawking was the greatest scientist that I have ever had the privilege to work with during my scientific career.

Before we start I would like to thank my wife Bernadette. She is Professor of microbiology at Caltech, there is a Caltech-Cambridge collaboration in biological sciences and thanks to this collaboration she was invited to spend 6 months here in Cambridge working in the Biochemistry department. I am very grateful to the Cambridge Physics department who were able to accommodate me during Bernadette's visit. It is very sad that Professor Hawking is no longer with us. It would have been so good to have been able to collaborate with him in person whilst during my time in Cambridge.

Now for my lecture 'Dark Matter, Superasymmetry and String Theory, are they connected?' This is in part on some of the work I have been able to do with people here in Cambridge during my visit..."

One hour later it was all over, after the lecture Sheldon went straight to his wife. Bernadette gave him a hug and then stood on a chair to kiss him.

Sheldon: "Thank you Bernadette, I needed that."

Bernadette: "A very impressive talk, I even understood some of it. All these years living with you has taught me a bit of Physics."

Sheldon: "I am glad it's all over, I hate giving big lectures like that. If it hadn't been for Professor Hawking then I would have declined the invitation."

Bernadette: "Are you hungry, I have made a reservation at our favourite Thai restaurant."

Sheldon: "What did I do to deserve you?"

Bernadette: "If I recall you helped me with my Ph.D thesis and it all started from there."

Sheldon: "So how has your work week been, I have been wrapped up in preparing for this lecture."

Bernadette: "Ellen Rashid passed her Ph.D viva examination today, she had been really nervous all week but she had no problems."

Sheldon: "Good news, she worked hard on her visit to Caltech last year."

Bernadette: "We have just submitted a paper on some of the work I have been doing here in Cambridge. This is my first paper for years where I have done a significant part of the laboratory work. It has been good to have been a real scientist for a few months here in Cambridge. Back to all the admin and paperwork in October :-("

Sheldon: "It's been great here in Cambridge. We should enjoy the place while we still can, what do you want to do this weekend..."


	10. September

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 10, preparing to leave. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends**

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By the middle of September Bernadette was working very hard in the laboratory to get things finished off. Sheldon was waiting for her back at the Wolfson apartment.

Bernadette: "Sorry I am back so late, I was helping one of the students with his experimental work."

Sheldon: "Well done for helping but don't work too hard. We only have a couple of weeks left here, it is going to be very hectic for us preparing to leave and also when we get back home. Your research group will have plenty of work waiting for you when you return."

Bernadette: "That's true."

Sheldon: "Who knows when we will next get a chance to spend some time in England. Tomorrow is Friday, let's have a day off and go to London for the day."

Bernadette: "Let's go on the train."

Sheldon: "Now you are talking!"

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Early next morning Sheldon and Bernadette went to Cambridge station and took the train to London Kings Cross station. When they arrived they had their photo taken at Platform 9 3/4 :-) They spent the morning seeing the sights, after lunch they went to the London Science Museum and they both had a good laugh correcting the many scientific errors. Then they went on a boat ride along the Thames before dinner. Finally Sheldon and Bernadette took the last train back to Cambridge after a long and very enjoyable day.

On their return to Wolfson College they both slept very well. Saturday was spent doing as little as possible and Sunday they had a fun day just walking round Cambridge playing tourist as if they weren't living there. Monday morning they both returned to their scientific work at the university having thoroughly enjoyed their long weekend.

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September 30th, Sheldon and Bernadette had a farewell meal at their favourite Thai restaurant for their scientific friends who had worked with them over their time in Cambridge. They both gave farewell speeches.

Bernadette: "Thank you to everyone who has been so kind to us for our time in Cambridge. We are very grateful for the opportunity to have done some science here at this fantastic university. Hopefully the Caltech-Cambridge biological science collaboration can continue in the future. Yesterday I was Skyping with my old boss Professor Tom Kariuki, a Cambridge graduate, about possibly having another Cambridge graduate student at Caltech next year. May the collaboration between our two great universities continue for many year."

Sheldon: "Thank you for welcoming us to Cambridge, it has been so good to have been able to collaborate with the colleagues of my old friend Professor Hawking. Hopefully we can make a more formal Caltech-Cambridge Physics collaboration after this. I have a meeting scheduled with the head of the Caltech Physics department next week. I hope it isn't too long before we can both come to the University of Cambridge again."

When they got back to their apartment for their last night Sheldon got a text from Leonard "see you at the airport tomorrow."


	11. October

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 11, return. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends**

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The plane touched down at LAX, as the plane slowed down and pulled off the runway the Captain announced

"Welcome to Los Angeles where local time is 5.30pm, the temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit and the weather is sunny. Thank you for flying British Airways."

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Two days later Sheldon and Bernadette both returned to Caltech. Even though Bernadette had been in contact with Caltech most days during her time in Cambridge and Andrea and Jane had been running her research group she was still overwhelmed with work when she got back to her office. She ended up putting a do not disturb sign on her office door for two days, only Andrea and Jane were allowed access. Bernadette was very glad to make it to the weekend.

At the weekend there was the big reunion with the social group. The Hofstadters brought back Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, who immediately hid themselves away in the spare room. Marie Hofstadter was heartbroken to lose her Kitty Cats. Next day Sheldon took the Hofstadters to the cat shelter. Marie couldn't believe her four year old eyes to see so many Kitty Cats.

Uncle Sheldon then said to Marie "Aunt Bernadette and I were very grateful to you for looking after our Kitty Cats when we were away. We think you should get your own Kitty Cat, do you want to play with these cats and find one you like to come home with you?"

Some of the shelter cats ran away when Marie ran up to them but one little female kitten took an immediate liking to Marie. After about 10 minutes it was obvious who Marie's new feline friend was going to be.

Leonard: "So Marie, what do you want to call your new kitten?"

Marie: "Kitty!"

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Next Monday Bernadette had her first research group meeting since her return.

Bernadette: "Hello everybody, we had a wonderful time in Cambridge but it is good to be back. In spite of all the hard work that Jane and Andrea had done looking after the research group in my absence and all my email and Skype contacts you wouldn't believe how much paperwork was waiting for me on my return. I had to spend my first two days back just catching up with admin.

It is good to see two new faces here, our new Ph.D students. So would they like to formally introduce themselves."

"Hello I am James Malone from Seattle, I did my first degree at the University of Washington and I have just joined Professor Rostenkowski-Cooper's research group as a Ph.D student."

"Hi, I'm Jessica Chambers from San Diego, I did my first degree at UCLA and I have also just joined Professor Rostenkowski-Cooper's research group as a Ph.D student."

Bernadette: "Welcome Jessica and James, please call me Bernadette, Professor Rostenkowski-Cooper is a bit of a mouthful. Just to explain to our newcomers that I make myself as available to help as much as I can during the work week but I am always here for our group meeting on Monday at 3.00pm. Normally I ask everyone to talk about what they had been doing since the last meeting but that obviously is impractical after 6 months away. So if Jennifer, Luther and Sally can individually come and see me for an hour to have a chat about things at 10.00am for over the the next 3 days. Decide amongst yourselves who comes on which day.

I had a meeting with Professor Tom Kariuki this morning, for the newcomers he is Assistant Dean of Biological Sciences here at Caltech. I inherited the research group from him when he was promoted, Andrea was one of his last Ph.D students. Professor Kariuki did his Ph.D at Cambridge University in England, it is thanks to him we have this Caltech-Cambridge collaboration which took me to Cambridge for 6 months. I am pleased to tell you that we will be getting another visiting Ph.D student from Cambridge in the New Year.

OK, this weeks meeting has been short and sweet, things should be back to normal next week. If Jessica and James would like to stay behind so we can chat about their projects and get to know each other. The rest of you can get back to work."


	12. November

**A sequel to "The Biophysical Relationship Evolution", "The Biophysical Relationship Continuation" and "The Biophysical Relationship Development". Part 12, welcome. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre and friends**

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At the first research group meeting of November Bernadette introduced their new postdoc.

"Hello everyone, please welcome our new postdoc, Dr. Ellen Rashid..."


End file.
